Charge 3 information inaccurate

[Dianamarie63]

My Fitbit started registering what appears to be excessive steps, exercise & flights of stairs ... yet the miles are very low.

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[AlejandraFitbit]

Welcome to the Community, @Dianamarie63.

I am sorry for the delay in response. For tips about improving accuracy, I recommend checking the help article: How accurate are Fitbit devices?.

Several things can affect the number of steps your Fitbit device records, including where you place the device, if you wear it on your dominant or non-dominant hand, and your stride length. If you're pushing a stroller or shopping cart, try putting your device in your pocket or use GPS to record your activity, if possible.

If it still seems like your device is undercounting or overcounting steps, try a step test. While you perform your step test, make sure you:

-Walk at a normal pace

-Don’t hold anything in your hands

-Put your arms down at your sides, swinging naturally

-Count 1 step for each foot

-To avoid getting an additional step when you bring your feet together, after you reach 100 steps:

1. Freeze in a split-stance. 
2. Move your hand up gently to check the step count on your device.  

Here’s the step test:

1. Restart your Fitbit device. For instructions, check the help article: How do I restart my Fitbit device?.
2. Put your device on your wrist.
3. Walk 100 steps, making sure to count a step each time one of your feet touches the ground.
4. Pause, then check your device to see your step count, and write down the number of steps you took and the number of steps your device counted. 
5. Perform the test 2 more times, walking 100 steps 3 different times. Each time, write down the number of steps you took and the number your device counted. 
6. Add the number of steps over or under that your device counted for all 3 tests. If your device counted 30 more or 30 fewer than the 300 steps you took, please let us know.

About the stairs, your device may give you credit for extra floors for a variety of reasons. Devices may track floors while doing everyday tasks such as opening doors, driving, or riding elevators or escalators, or from abrupt weather and atmospheric pressure changes Exposure to excess moisture can also result in extra floors.

Fitbit devices calculate distance based on the device’s accelerometer data and stride length setting. Default stride length is based on your height and gender. If available, Fitbit devices use GPS data to calculate more precise distances.When you sync your device, our algorithm interprets the data from the device, and you see your distance traveled in the Fitbit app. 

Note that when you track an exercise with GPS, both GPS and accelerometer data are used to calculate the distance shown in the Fitbit app.

Let me know the outcome. 🙂

[Ladymcdee]

What I don’t get is why are we getting these issues all of a sudden when we haven’t changed our habits. I don’t think this issue is resolved by the literature you gave us Fitbit moderator. Please look into your software and fix this , I assure you this is a court case waiting to happen if it’s a marketing gimmick to get people to upgrade by manipulating the older versions. 

[Skippy1234]

I’m also having the same problem of the floors. The other day I registered 80 floors - while sitting next to my son’s hospital bed, didn’t leave the room with steady pressure and steady temperature. Not even allowed to open a window. 

So disappointed. An expensive watch. 

[Ladymcdee]

Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. How long have you had your watch for ?